first irish circumnavigation of the world by bicycle

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Potential Energy

As I whizzed downhill into the Georgian capital of Tiblisi, I felt the cold wind in my hair and bushy beard, the tingling of my nearly knumb hands, and enjoyed the lack of effort as my bike rolled downward. I had earned that enjoyment sometime earlier in the day, when I used the power in my muscles to spin the pedals which gave me forward thrust up some hill. By climbing upward, I gained potential energy, and the higher I went, the more energy I gained, like a rollercoaster carriage waiting to be released for a thrilling ride.

But there is another type of potential that we have within ourselves, and that is the potential to get out and do some exercise, no matter how tired you feel. I always find that I feel vitalised after a cycle, walk or run, even if I felt sh*te beforehand. The urge to stay in the comforts of ones home often overrides the exercise we know we need, but deny ourselves.

I also find that the more exercise I do, the better and more energised I feel. For example after the Christmas slobfest in Armenia, I felt low on energy, despite sleeping lots and doing nothing. Conversely, when I was doing consecutive 180km days in western China, I had boundless energy. No doubt you’ll be feeling a little sluggish after the Christmas excesses, so raise your potential energy, get out on your bike, or go for a run, walk or swim. Yes, I know it’s it’s freezing cold outside (I’ve seen the news), but I guarantee you’ll come back feeling better than when you went out.

And the fitness you gain will keep you going when you come along for our homecoming cycle this April……..